SpeedSeries news 2023: OnlyFans star Renee Gracie to make racing return in GT World Challenge Australia
Supercars driver turned OnlyFans star Renee Gracie is set to make her racing return in GT World Challenge Australia, it can be revealed.
Last month, it was announced Stan Originals would follow Gracie’s return to racing with the production of a new documentary – Revealed: Renee Gracie.
Gracie, who has twice contested the Bathurst 1000, exclusively revealed to Wide World of Sports plans to contest the series from round two onwards at Perth’s Wanneroo Raceway.
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Her long-awaited return has been dogged by a unique obstacle, however.
It’s her post-racing career as an adult filmmaker that has drawn the ire of prospective teams who want very little to do with the 28-year-old.
There is a certain irony in all of it. When she began racing, the cash-strapped teen scrounged for sponsors. Now, they won’t let her race even with the financial clout.
Gracie, who has based herself on the Gold Coast, makes tens of thousands per month from OnlyFans subscriptions.
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Since stepping away from the sport at the end of 2017, she was persistently asked by fans whether she might return to racing.
That constant attention spurred her interest in returning.
“When I left, I was done,” Gracie told Wide World of Sports.
“Every day for three years, I reckon I got asked ‘When are you getting back into racing? You should race again’ on Instagram, Facebook and my OnlyFans – like everywhere people were always coming back to me on all different platforms asking me the same questions.
“I run into fans on the street and they would ask me. So I guess it started like ticking away in the back of my brain, like, ‘Oh, I should really do this again’.
“I started to look around and have a little snoop and see what people were sort of thinking and if it was a possibility.
“Obviously I got hit with a lot of ‘no, no, no, no, no’, so pretty much from there, it’s been a very slow process, but a careful process as well in regards to who wants to deal with me and who I deal with.
“People obviously have team sponsors, there’s corporations involved that don’t want to deal with me. So it’s just been a constant juggle to finally get here today.”
Gracie said she understands why some teams would be hesitant to have her onboard given her career choice.
However, she’s not one to pay much attention to those who want to discount her bid to return to racing.
Ultimately, she’s driven to change perceptions and attitudes.
“I think it’s more just a general message to everybody else who’s watching and listening and paying attention to the story that it shouldn’t matter what you do or who you are or what path you’re going down, what your career is, how you make money,” Gracie explained.
“I shouldn’t have to ask people, ‘Do you wanna run me? Do you wanna do this? Can you help me?’ I shouldn’t have to ask for permission. I should just be able to go, ‘Hey, look, I’m looking at doing this’ and people should just be willing to help and support me, regardless of what I do and who I am.
“I feel like that’s the biggest thing I want to highlight and appreciate and show the people who have helped me in this journey as well. That’s a big thing for me is everyone who’s involved in what’s to come.
“I feel like should definitely get credit because they’re very rare, few scarce people who are actually wanting to be involved. And just to highlight that they got involved, they saw the opportunity and it’s not as bad as what everyone thinks.”
It does beg the question, why compete in GT World Challenge Australia?
Unlike some categories and teams she approached, the GT fraternity has largely endorsed Gracie’s participation.
There is also no other top-tier, tin-top series in the country that offers as much on-track time or broadcast coverage.
Exactly what car Gracie will run is under wraps and it’s expected that will be announced closer to round two.
“There are a lot of things that I look at like TV, how much time I’m getting, how I can sell this to sponsors, further opportunities than committing to one thing,” said Gracie.
“It was really just sort of outside the box thinking in regards to opportunity and where it could grow to and potentially move to and GT fit perfectly in the middle of all of that.
“The look of the series as well, in regards to the cars that you have, the quality that they’re putting into races like this and events is also really important from a corporate sponsorship point of view.
“I think overall, to get every box ticked is almost physically impossible, but GT was probably one of the ones that ticked all of them and I feel like the support’s been there from GT as well and just having everyone on side.”
Gracie is in attendance at the Bathurst 6 Hour and will make a broadcast cameo on Sunday as part of the coverage.
GT World Challenge Australia is one of the support categories at the second SpeedSeries round at Mount Panorama on April 7-9.
Stan Sport will carry live, ad-free coverage across the weekend.
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